Wednesday, 16 April 2025 03:28

A strategy to get more done—and feel less stressed

Rate this item
(0 votes)

For some people, the expression “You have as many hours in the day as Beyoncé” could be inspiring. For me, it’s anxiety-inducing. Probably because it makes clear that lots of those unfinished to-do’s on my list could get done if I only used my time wisely. 

In his new book “Meditations for Mortals,” former journalist and time management researcher Oliver Burkeman explores how we can accept our limitations in life and still be productive

“When you give up the unwinnable struggle to do everything, that’s when you can start pouring your finite time and attention into a handful of things that truly count,” he writes.

One of his strategies that resonated with me is to “do things daily-ish.” Steadily working toward a goal is great, but sometimes we can get hyper fixated on unrealistic schedules. 

Any time I vow to do something daily, I get so stressed about sticking to that plan and forget what the actual goal is. If I miss a day, I am inclined to give up altogether. It’s smarter, Burkeman writes, to commit to doing something a few times a week, or “daily-ish.” 

“Deep down, you know that doing something twice per week doesn’t qualify as dailyish, while five times per week does,” Burkeman writes. “In busy periods, three or four times per week might get to count. So you’re still putting some pressure on yourself.”

Being honest about how much time you can devote to something makes you more likely to accomplish it. “The point isn’t to spend your life serving rules,” Burkeman writes. “The point is for the rules to serve life.” 

Even if Beyoncé is able to follow through on daily to-do’s, I know my limitations. Hopefully by committing to doing tasks daily-ish, I can finally cross some of them off my list.

 

CNBC

May 30, 2025

Nigeria's $3bn fashion drain: How import dependence undermines local textile industry

Nigeria's fashion sector is hemorrhaging billions of dollars annually due to overwhelming reliance on imported…
June 01, 2025

‘Nigeria under siege by urban bandits, poverty weaponized’ – Atiku, El-Rufai warn

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai have issued a scathing…
June 01, 2025

Her daughter was taken and sent abroad - 44 years later, they found each other

The last memory Han Tae-soon has of her daughter as a child is in May…
May 31, 2025

Tools made of whale bones reveal inventiveness of prehistoric people

Artifacts found at archeological sites in France and Spain along the Bay of Biscay shoreline…
May 31, 2025

Troops kill 60 terrorists and top ISWAP commander in Borno, as FCT mourns 11 killed…

Nigerian troops have killed over 60 terrorists in Borno State during a series of operations,…
June 01, 2025

What to know after Day 1193 of Russia-Ukraine war

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE Russia launches air attack on Ukraine's capital Kyiv, mayor says Ukraine's air defence…
May 29, 2025

AI system resorts to blackmail when its developers try to replace it

An artificial intelligence model has the ability to blackmail developers — and isn’t afraid to…
May 13, 2025

Nigeria's Flying Eagles qualify for World Cup after dramatic win over Senegal

Nigeria's U-20 national football team, the Flying Eagles, have secured their place at the 2025…

NEWSSCROLL TEAM: 'Sina Kawonise: Publisher/Editor-in-Chief; Afolabi Ajibola: IT Manager;
Contact Us: [email protected] Tel/WhatsApp: +234 811 395 4049

Copyright © 2015 - 2025 NewsScroll. All rights reserved.